History
WE’VE ALWAYS DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY
In the early 1940s, wine farmers in the Perdeberg region grew dissatisfied with the low prices they were getting for their premium quality grapes. Then an astute farmer named Jan Rossouw suggested they begin producing their own wine and Perdeberg Winery was born! We pressed our first grapes manually in 1942 and while we have come a long way in terms of technology, we are still renowned for our hands-on approach!
A WATERSHED YEAR
1956 was a pivotal year for Perdeberg Winery. Unusually heavy rains in the area resulted in a poor harvest for most of the farmers in the area and quality came at a premium. Determined to continue producing top-class wines, Perdeberg appointed Mr Joseph Huskisson – our first full-time wine maker – to help modernise our winemaking methods. We became the second winery in South Africa to use cold fermentation and we imported other new technologies from Europe.
ANOTHER PERDEBERG FIRST
With the winemaking process almost perfect, it was time to turn to the vineyards. The expertise of a viticulturist was called in to help choose the right cultivars and implement ideal grape growing and harvesting methods. This tactic proved so successful that we were soon first in the area to employ a full-time viticulturist.
THE ONE WITH THE ZEBRA
In 2005, Perdeberg entered the bottled wine market and we soon earned our stripes in the local and international awards arena. More importantly, this bold step brought us in direct contact with our consumers – and also allowed us to develop an international distribution network within a short space of time. In line with our innovative spirit, our consumer communications have been at the forefront of technology. Due to this initiative, our market understanding is working to the advantage of all our clients and as we grow with them, we aim to cement this relationship further.